Food, family and memories are as intertwined in the South as if woven on the same thread. At any function we attend, from a party to a wedding to a funeral, we are as likely to talk as much about the food that was there, as we are about why we are gathered. ~Mary Foreman

I'm your cook, not your doctor. ~PAULA DEEN

I found out what the secret to life is: friends. Best friends. ~Ninny Threadgoode

Update! Congratulations to Vicky B. who said: "If I should win one of these beautiful books, as much as I would like to keep it for myself, I know a most wonderful, special Christian woman whom I would gift this to. Thank you for giving everyone this very generous opportunity."

Your comment came up in the random draw to win! Please contact me by email at mary@deepsouthdish.com by midnight on Tuesday, May 14, 2013, to claim your cookbook. Let me know which cookbook you would like and provide the name & address you would like it delivered to! Congratulations Vicky and thanks to all for your sweet and lovely comments. They really warmed my heart to read. Be sure to follow Deep South Dish to be informed about future giveaways!!

Sure, I've found connections to cookbooks, most especially when they are Southern cookbooks. I have smiled and literally laughed out loud. I have cried. Reminisced. But I have never had a peace wash over me before like I did when reading through these two.

It's not surprising since both books are filled with beautiful, scenic outdoor photography and indoor and outdoor church and home architecture. You'll also find plenty of photographs depicting lovely garden settings, beautiful home decor, floral arrangements, elegant table settings, tea time and cozy kitchen shots.

What is different and unique about these two cookbooks is that they are primarily geared toward a Christian audience, and the text throughout both of the books is reflective of that. While much of the content surrounding the recipes is scriptural in nature, there are also other inspirational quotes and poetry from many sources, both secular and religious, scattered throughout.

These are both beautiful and inspiring "coffee table books," either of which is a perfect choice for gift giving for many holidays and occasions, including birthdays, or as a housewarming, hostess or bridal shower gift. Available through your local bookstore, or online at outlets such as Amazon, where with your Prime Account, you can have either Share the Bounty or Come to the Table delivered to your home in two days, just in time for Mother's Day.

Come to the Table is arranged by meal related events and focuses on breaking of bread together over God's blessings in abundance. We start with "The First Meal of the Day," where you'll find recipes for things like Orange Cranberry Bread, Creamed Chicken on Cornbread and Glazed Lemon Muffins. In the chapter "Parties, Picnics and Lunch in a Basket," you'll find recipes such as Picnic Steak Salad, Green Apple Cole Slaw and Old-Fashioned Potato Salad.

"Dinner on the Grounds," includes recipes for Grilled Chicken Pasta Salad, Cheddar Squash Strata and Spicy Apple Cake with Caramel Icing, among others, great for any church supper. In the chapter for "Small Group Dinners," you'll find recipes for dinner and sides, such as Stuffed Pork Tenderloin, Spinach Parmigiana, Flank Steak with Mushrooms, Fresh Pear Salad, Company Meat Loaf and Potato Croquettes, perfect for those dinner parties.

Share the Bounty has most of the same characteristics as found in Come to the Table. Here you'll also find photographs of beautiful table settings and outdoor scenery, prayers and scriptural and inspirational quotes. This volume, however, is more about celebrating the spirit of hospitality and entertaining and the sharing of life's most important occasions together, intended to inspire you to open your home and share God's grace with others.

Next is "Festive Occasions," focused on celebratory gatherings for marriages, retirements, graduations and baptisms, and includes recipes for Marinated Dijon Shrimp, Chicken Tarts, Baked Crawfish Dip, and Poulet Nicoise. "Four Convivial Dinners," is focused on times for welcoming friends and neighbors to our tables and features main dish entrees such as Sunday Rib Roast, Spicy Sausage and Chicken Lasagna, Finley's Baby Back Ribs and Crabmeat Almandine along with salads, sides and a Chocolate Coffee Pie dessert.

The "Hospitality for the Very Young" chapter features recipes that appeal to the younger crowd and include Aunt Emma's Tea Cakes, Macaroni Cupcakes, Barbeque Meatballs and Fresh Berry Pizza among others. "International Cuisine" gives us Gazpacho, Pollo San Miguel, Veal, Prosciutto and Portobello Fettuccini and Pear Tarts.

"Blessed by Guests Who Stay a While" features recipes appropriate for the times that we have overnight guests. You'll find recipes for Basil Chicken Salad, Cajun Shrimp and Grits Casserole, Ham Croissant Casserole, Blueberry Peach Coffee Cake and more. Like the sister publication, we end with peaceful photography, inspirational quotes and a Benediction.

These are both hard bound, over-sized books, weighing nearly 3 pounds and measuring in at 9 x 12 inches each. The recipes are accessible, easy to follow and with no odd or strange ingredients. These books are truly much more than the typical cookbook. Each chapter opens with Scripture and each recipe closes with inspirational commentary, quotes, Scripture or a combination of them.

The recipes have beautiful full color photographs, and every turn of the page is like a spiritual refresher and inspirational kitchen devotional. They are the kinds of books you want to display, propped open on an elegant book rack on your kitchen counter, or left on the coffee table in your family room where friends visit. They both make a lovely conversation piece and will surely become a favorite item for gift-giving, because when your friends see these books, they will pick them up, relish in the contents, and want a copy for themselves.

To enter, leave a comment on this post (Please comment only once!) and let me know what you love about these books. If you post anonymous, please leave a first name and last initial to identify yourself. This giveaway closes on Thursday, May 9th, 2013 at midnight CST. One winner will be selected at random from the comments and will be announced as soon as possible on the site at this post. Winner will have 48 hours to respond to claim the cookbook. Giveaway open to U.S. residents only please.Thanks for reading and good luck!

☛ Are you on Facebook? If you haven't already, come and join the party! We have a lot of fun & there's always room for one more at the table.

Material Disclosure: Unless otherwise noted, you should assume that post links to the providers of goods and services mentioned, establish an affiliate relationship and/or other material connection and that I may be compensated when you purchase from a provider. You are never under any obligation to purchase anything when using my recipes and you should always perform due diligence before buying goods or services from anyone via the Internet or offline.

These look amazing! It would be difficult to decide which one!Thanks so much for your amazing site! I didn't learn to cook very much when growing up and only in the past five years sites like yours and Brandie's and Christy's (ok PW, too) have inspired me to enjoy preparing home cooked meals for my family and not be intimidated by my lack of skills or fancy gadgets and ingredients. I haven't have one negative recipe from your site yet!!Blessings!!Amanda "Has" ;)

Hilda Milliken.. Would love to win one of these books.. Esp Come to the Table.. My mother was from Arkansas so I was raised on Southern Cooking. I love the hospitality there. I do follow you on facebook. I love all the cooking sites on there.

i feel blessed to be able to use this blog to help cook new exciting foods.Thank you all for taking time to do this we are blessed to have you.May God Bless you all. I have learned alot from you.Keep up the great work..hope to hear from you soon.

I am originally from NY but have lived in rural Southeast Georgia for over 30 yrs. I am not the best cook in the world and often wondered how people could make such delicious food. I found your website and tried several of the recipe's and WOW, I really surprised my husband and family. They couldn't believe that I had cooked that food,lol! I would love to have one of your books to further enhance my new found cooking ability!! Thank you!!

I adore many things about these cookbooks! First, the idea of getting together with new and old friends is part of my passion. My husband and I love working with the seniors at our church and especially enjoy our monthly potluck meals. These recipes sound great to prepare at my house for guests, for church meals, or to take to a friend. Thank you for sharing.Bev L

I just love the fact that when you pray over the food while cooking you find great joy and contentment in doing the little things to nourish your family and friends. And somehow everything just tastes better covered in prayer.

If I should win one of these beautiful books, as much as I would like to keep it for myself, I know a most wonderful, special Christian woman whom I would gift this to. Thank you for giving everyone this very generous opportunity.

Thank you for the opportunity to receive a copy of one of the books. They were so well reviewed by you that I now want copies. Thanks, Mary for the opportunity I have each day of reading your fresh authentic Southern food blog and recipes. It would be nice if you wrote your own cook book but I do understand why you don't. Thanks, Mary, for your excellent dedication. Phyllis C.

I have been receiving your daily emails for the past 2 years and look forward to them each day. Although from the NY, I do travel south every year and so much enjoy the hospitality and the yummy food that I get. Getting your book would keep me continuously connected all year with the great feelings I get when I'm on vacation. Thank you for the opportunity to receive your great recipes every day, they have become a collection that I value so much.

Its nice of you to have a Giveaway. The books are something i would like because its just more than a book of recipes, there is spiritual readings and wonderful nature pics. My name is Patty and I approve the cookbook. :)

What I love about these two cookbooks is that they are written with a spiritual perspective. I can see and almost feel the quality of the pages just by the pictures in this review. I felt like I was turning the pages my self almost! The pictures are stunning and evocative. And the recipes. Oh the recipes. I can hardly wait to make the Marinated Dijon Shrimp and the Crabmeat dip. I would like to say that the review itself is one of the best I have ever read. It is so good of a review that I feel that I must have those cookbooks for my library. Thank you.

Beautiful pictures! I feel very strongly that cookbooks are gifts from the heart. Any time that you prepare a homemade recipe, whether it is just you and your immediate family, a new neighbor or sick one, it shows that you care. I have written a cookbook called "From Treasa's heart to your table". Whatever you make, make sure it contains Love. I would love to own one of these cookbooks. Thanks, Treasa W.

I treasure good & beautiful cookbooks ~ and find them inspirational in so many ways. They give us so many gifts ~ reminding us of God's abundance, the incredible diversity and beauty of food, the bounty of the earth ~ and of friends, family, simple pleasures and special occasions, and of sharing ourselves and break bread together. These two cookbooks seem to be designed to do all these things in such a lovely and intentional, spiritual way. Ohh, I'd love to have one (or both) of them! Lovely! Thank you!

I LOVE cookbooks! Especially beautiful cookbook like these. When I get a new one, I sit and read it like a new novel. I enjoy trying new recipes for everyday or special occasions! Cooking is the was I carry on a tradition passed on from my sweet Mother and her Mother!! I would love to win one of the cookbooks...!!!Thanks, Vicky K.

I would love to add these cookbooks to my collection. Both cookbooks look as if they could almost be used as a daily devotion. I love the serenity of the pictures of God's beautiful world and all of its bounty, the wonderful recipes and the scriptures that accompany them.

I am thrilled and excited to hear how wonderful either one of these cookbooks are! I love and enjoy cooking and learned from my mother and grandmother. Sure do miss both of them! I would love to win one of them!

It's rare that you would find a cookbook with scriptures included in the reading!! I personally have never seen anything like it. These books would be a great addition to any home, whether it is won or not. :)

I always loved looking through cookbooks with both my grandmothers when I was little, saying "Granny, let's make THIS!" and seeing the smile on their faces. Then we went to the cupboard to see if we had all the ingredients. If so, we made what I found. If not, on to the next recipe! My mother said she was glad the baking gene skipped her and I got a double dose! Blessings to you, my friend!

Both of the cookbooks LQQK wonderfully interesting!!! I love cooking and sharing meals with Others; LUV family gatherings!!....Most of my family came out of Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia and we have always had a love for our entire family, seems the "more the merrier" .....ANDDdddddddddd are WE ALL used to good ole fashioned cooking!! My Mamaw taught me how to cook and she didn't have any recipes... I've about mastered all she could cook, except for homemade yeast rolls ~ ON THAT subject, I GIVE!! LOL ...On one of the side margins it stated about family roots and how straight they make one grow....FAMILY VALUES ~ I LUV EM!!! Wish more people lived like we all used to....Blessings for a wonderfully happy and blessed Day! May HIS Peace, Love, Light, and Blessings always be yours....Sincerely, Brenda Asche

I so love your site! Every recipe I have tried has been fantastic. I would love to win one of these cookbooks and expand my cooking skills. The pictures look wonderful and with scriptures in the kitchen maybe God will guide my hands and make me a better cook! Kerry Walter Kerry.walter@intertek.com

As someone who was in a cooking co-op (meal swap) for ten years, where we did not repeat menus for one year, I'm always looking for new or variations of recipes. I would love to add a Deep South Dish cookbook to my collection!!

Thank you so much for sharing your bounty and God's blessings with each of us. You are a blessing to me and I cannot wait to see what all He has in store for me through your beautiful testamonies and these beautiful books. Thank you for all your do! Many blessings! Tammy in Alabama

I am inspired by the fact that there are still places where the Lord our Savior and the Heavenly Father come to the fore front of our everyday world reminding us that the true bounty is in what he provides for us. I'm a foodie at heart and these are exemplary cookbooks. David Wunderlin 417-437-1001

Hello Mary! I love cookbooks and have more than I could ever use! If the winner, this cookbook would go to my wonderful 81 year old Christian mother! She and my dad moved back about 10 years ago to live close to me and they are a joy. Cookbooks like these are a treasure and offer such inspiration and beauty in a world where much of these important things have been forgotten. Thank you for passing one on to a very fortunate winner!!! Kathy C from Louisiana

These two beautiful books are truly touched by the hand of God. He has brought all of the wonderful contents together so that He may be glorified in such a distinct way and to bring calm and beauty to the person who is cooking from and reading them. I would so love to be the owner of either one of them but I am sure that there is a very special person that I could gift it to. My daughter's teacher comes to mind because of the patience she has shown her in a very chaotic, difficult world.

So enjoy your blog! These books are truly inspiring- remind me of a combination of Martha and Mary. Love the biblical passages and the recipes are inspiring me to continue with special celebrations of food and good times.Paula Williams

A cookbook that can help me get back into the kitchen and get out of the rut of always having the same old thing, but is still similar enough to the food we already enjoy. Perfect! Thanks for sharing and giving people an opportunity to enjoy this too. Elisa A.

I've always found reading cookbooks to be so relaxing. Probably because it was something that my grandmother and I would do together. Would love to share these with my Granddaughters. We love to read through cookbooks and choose our next kitchen adventure.

I love getting recipes off the Deep South site. This would give me new recipes to try when my children are home. My son is a chef, so I try to make neat dishes. Also, having the pictures and Scriptures to read prior to cooking them would just make this give-a-way a true Blessing to receive.

Barbara T.Two of the greatest blessings given to us from our heavenly Father are family and good food. I love to cook for my family and friends and these books would be a good excuse to try out new recipes on them!

The Cookbooks speak Volumes about the Southern Hospitality that is graciously extended towards others with a Warm Smile, A firm handshake or a hug and the greeting of Welcome "Yall come on in and Sit a Spell!! Friends and family are gathered around the table to Celebrate special occasions and also to say Grace thanking God for the Blessings and also the Bounty of the food that is prepared and set before everyone in style. A passage of scripture is also shared during these special moments. The memories made will forever be cherished in the hearts and souls of those who were blessed to have created and shared them as well. CR,

What perfect timing for this giveaway, since my wife has been in hospital and therapy care for the past 5 months. As we work to getting her back home again, we can use all the spiritual inspiration available - whether it be through good wishes and prayers, or a cookbook with the same uplifting message. Thank you for the chance at these cookbooks. Since most of my time is currently spent away from the computer to be with my wife, should I be lucky enough to win, but not be able to check back on the website, I hope you'll be able to get in contact with me. Good luck to all the entrants! @SolakNC/Tom Mann on Facebook.

The recipes of course!! Every Saturday, my husband and I pick a cookbook and pick 5 courses including desert to prepare. He is a wonderful Sous Chef and getting better every week. This Saturday he is going to do it all by himself with no help. Cant wait to see what he comes up with!!!

Hi Miss Mary, I thoroughly enjoy your blog. I visit many food blogs, but there are two I can always count on to offer great recipes that work and inspire me. Your recipes are so reliable. It would be an honor to win a cookbook through your blog! We are currently living in our camper because we sold our house in order to buy a larger one. The reason for wanting more space is because we are foster parents and needed more bedrooms, plus we want to entertain more so we can be a godly influence to others. One of my gifts is cooking, but I have to use recipes. I can't just throw things together. Either if these cookbooks will definitely inspire me to know what to cook and keep me focused on what is really important. Also, just displaying these books in my home would be an influence to visitors as they page through the contents. Thank you for your heart and your blog, Dorothy P., Georgia

I grew up in Georgia, but was never really allowed to be in the kitchen, growing up .. I was always "in the way". Now, I have my own daughter ~ and it's with websites like your own, and cookbooks like these, that I have her convinced her mama is a good cook. So thank you! :)P Weaver, Texas

I am so in love with this site! Came across it while looking for recipe for salmon patties we had for dinner...My Ed said yum! I don't do fishy stuff but after looking through you site, I'm thinking I will have to try some of your great recipes! The tips are the best thing about it all :)Colleen BAnderson, Indiana

Anonymous"The recipes have beautiful full color photographs, and every turn of the page is like a spiritual refresher and inspirational kitchen devotional". How can I comment further. I want to share these wonderful spiritual and devotional cookbooks to a friend whom opened her home to me in fellowship and friendship while I undergo cancer treatment. RMc

Hey Y’all! Welcome to some good ole, down home southern cooking. Pull up a chair, grab some iced tea, and 'sit a bit' as we say down south. If this is your first time visiting Deep South Dish, you can sign up for FREE updates via EMAIL or RSS feed, or you can catch up with us on Facebook and Twitter too!

You don’t have to cook fancy or complicated masterpieces – just good food from fresh ingredients. ~Julia Child

The classic southern plate for supper is made up of meat and three, cornbread or rolls & a tall glass of sweet iced tea.

Oftentimes what makes a recipe southern, is as much a state of mind as it is a matter of geography - Southerners simply decide a particular food is southern, and that's that." ~Rick McDaniel, Food Historian

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